Nevada Becomes the 36th State (1864)

On October 31, 1864, Nevada was admitted to the United States as the 36th state, when President Abraham Lincoln issued a proclamation of statehood in the middle of the Civil War. Born in wartime and admitted in haste, Nevada carries the nickname “Battle Born” to this day — the only state whose nickname is printed on its flag. Its path to statehood was one of the fastest and most unusual in American history.

What happened

On 31 October 1864, President Abraham Lincoln proclaimed Nevada the 36th state of the Union. The admission came just eight days before the presidential election of 8 November 1864, and the timing was no accident: Lincoln needed Nevada’s three electoral votes and, just as importantly, its support for the Thirteenth Amendment abolishing slavery.

Remarkably, Nevada entered the Union with fewer than 40,000 residents — well below the roughly 60,000 people Congress usually expected of a new state. Political urgency, not population, drove the decision.

History and background

Nevada Territory had been created on 2 March 1861, carved out of western Utah Territory as settlers poured in after the discovery of the Comstock Lode, one of the richest silver strikes in history. An attempt at statehood in 1863 failed when voters rejected the proposed constitution, but Congress passed an enabling act in March 1864 authorizing a second try. Voters approved a revised constitution in September 1864.

To get the constitution to Washington before the election, Nevada officials sent it by telegraph on 26–27 October 1864 — a message of 16,543 words that cost about $4,303.27 to transmit, making it the longest telegraph ever sent at the time. With the constitution received, Lincoln’s proclamation followed on October 31.

Why it matters

Nevada’s rushed admission shows how the Civil War bent the normal rules of American politics. The silver of the Comstock Lode helped finance the Union war effort, and Lincoln counted Nevada as a reliable Republican vote for his re-election and for the Thirteenth Amendment. Nevada did its part: it voted for Lincoln in 1864 and ratified the Thirteenth Amendment in February 1865, helping to end slavery in the United States.

Key facts

• Date of statehood: 31 October 1864, by proclamation of President Abraham Lincoln.
• Order of admission: 36th state.
• Nickname: “Battle Born,” a reference to its birth during the Civil War.
• Territory created: 2 March 1861.
• First constitution: rejected by voters in 1863; revised constitution approved September 1864 under the enabling act of March 1864.
• Longest telegraph: the 16,543-word constitution, sent 26–27 October 1864 at a cost of about $4,303.27.
• Population at admission: under 40,000, below the usual 60,000 threshold.
• Political urgency: Lincoln’s re-election on 8 November 1864 and support for the Thirteenth Amendment abolishing slavery.
• After statehood: Nevada voted for Lincoln and ratified the Thirteenth Amendment in February 1865.

Frequently asked questions

Why is Nevada called “Battle Born”?

Because it became a state during the Civil War. The phrase appears on the Nevada state flag, making Nevada the only state with its nickname on its flag.

Why was Nevada admitted with so few people?

President Lincoln and the Republican Congress wanted Nevada’s electoral votes for the 1864 election and its backing for the Thirteenth Amendment abolishing slavery, so they waived the usual population expectations.

How did Nevada’s constitution reach Washington?

By telegraph on 26–27 October 1864. At 16,543 words and about $4,303.27, it was the longest telegraph transmission of its era.

Related: October 31 Holidays, Observances and History